Method and system for managing construction projects

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing construction projects are provided. The methods and systems can be based on component-associated data where components can be assigned identifiers, drawings, cost codes, and man-hour values according to industry standards. Components can be grouped, sorted, searched and accessed through a database (a component library). Project schedules and work packages can be formed based on components and their associated data through a planning system. The schedule can be altered at the component level by adding or removing components, or stretching or shrinking the schedule. Constraints can be used to restrict a schedule or work package from being released until the constraints are satisfied. Once released, schedules can be updated to track construction progress of the project underway through a tracking system. Reports can be generated to reflect productivity of construction crews or individuals and track progress of the project.

1 . A method for managing a construction project based on component data, the method comprising:
 a) associating component data with project information such as construction activities, resources, man hours, and budgets;   b) grouping component data into a database;   c) sorting component data into categories depending on data use;   d) creating work packages based on built-in tradesmen's expertise with constraints needing to be satisfied prior to the work package being released, the constraints comprising resources, budgets, and safety and quality information that relate to the components in the work package; and   e) building a schedule by arranging activities according to a release date of work packages, the release date determined by the satisfaction of the constraints;   wherein the component data and schedule are used to manage the construction project.   
     
     
         2 . The method for managing a construction project according to  claim 1 , further comprising updating the schedule by tracking a state of a components. 
     
     
         3 . The method for managing a construction project according to  claim 1 , further comprising generating reports on a performance evaluation of the construction project. 
     
     
         4 . The method for managing a construction project according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of retrieving the component data by loading the component data into a tablet or hand-held device. 
     
     
         5 . The method for managing a construction project according to  claim 4 , wherein the component data are loaded into the tablet or hand-held device from the database via a portable computer. 
     
     
         6 . The method for managing a construction project according to  claim 1 , further comprising: retrieving a plurality of components from the database; presenting the plurality of components to a user; receiving a selection of one of the components that has been performed on the project identified by a selected identifier from the user, comprising a value identifying the selected component; and associating a number of hours worked with the selected identifier. 
     
     
         7 . The method for managing a construction project according to  claim 1 , further comprising providing a means to develop cost codes to group components into categories, the means comprising an algorithm to adjust proportions of cost codes according to change of project budget. 
     
     
         8 . The method for managing a construction project according to  claim 1 , further comprising providing a means to estimate a project cost at a level of granularity where the level is selected from a group consisting of component, IWP, CWP, discipline, and project, the means comprising an algorithm to collect man hours from engineering drawings by industry standard rates. 
     
     
         9 . The method for managing a construction project according to  claim 1 , further comprising providing a means to evaluate a work crew's performance down to a component level, the means comprising an algorithm to calculate productivity and generate reports. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-readable storage medium having code embodied therein for causing a computer to perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A system for managing construction projects, the system comprising: a database; memory; a processor for executing code stored in the memory; a component interface operative to receive component identifiers identifying components of a construction project; a database interface operative to store the component identifiers in the database and further operative to update a construction status of the component identified by the component identifiers; and a component query interface operative to receive component queries comprising the component identifiers; wherein the database interface is operative to search the database and to provide indicators associated with the received component identifiers and their construction status. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a viewer, the viewer comprising: an application program interface operative to provide the component queries to the component query interface, and to receive the indicators from the database; and a display operative to display graphical representations of the components based on the received indicators. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a remote data entry device, the remote data entry device comprising: a user input device operative to receive time values from a user; and an application program interface operative to provide the time values and associated component identifiers to a time interface. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a simulation interface operative to provide a 4D simulation with autonomous agents making decisions on resource allocation, collaborative working among disciplines, evaluation on risks of changes, and predictions of a 16-weeks look ahead, the simulation interface comprising: a method to detect conflicts; a protocol for agents to do negotiation on limited resources; an algorithm to evaluate risks of changes, where the algorithm comprises means to handle the propagation of a change along the work flow. 
     
     
         15 . A software program for managing a construction project based on component data, embodied on a computer readable medium, the software program comprising:
 current state information for at least one component and its design; decision and accountability information tracking each component and its design up through its current state; a subsystem further comprising: a component database; a search and cross reference engine, operating in coordination with the component database; wherein for each distinct project initiated by a human user the database, engine, and subsystem exchange data with the human user and amongst each other, and in accordance with the decisions and constraints entered by the human user and contained within the software program, produce as an output at least one report of at least one schedule and supporting documentation associated with the schedule.   
     
     
         16 . The software program as in  claim 15 , wherein the database is a relational database which can track and make use of the relationships between and amongst the attributes of its data. 
     
     
         17 . The software program as in  claim 15 , wherein the database tracks for each distinct project a design state, supporting materials state, current interaction, human user, and progress on any associated report, validation, verification, and documentation requirement, from inception through completion of that distinct project. 
     
     
         18 . The software program as in  claim 15 , wherein the search and cross-reference engine further comprises: means using a constraint-based approach for rapid classification and identification of identical, similar and like components; means for reporting for display to a human user both: (a) all components matching the constraints provided to the search and cross-reference engine; and, (b) for each such component, the particulars contained in the databases of such component; and, means for using a comparative description for each attribute and constraint rather than a component's description in a manufacturing perspective, to provide a unified standard of comparison across different manufacturers. 
     
     
         19 . The software program as in  claim 15 , wherein the subsystem further comprises: mean for collecting, collating, and managing the details for each and every component comprising a part of each project; means for providing the current representation of the project to the human user in accordance with the human user's expressed desire, further comprising: means for providing a graphical representation; means for providing a textual representation; means for providing a list representation; means for providing a dependency-tree representation; and, means for providing any combination of the above, depending on the human user's desire for more or less detail concerning the current state of the project involving that component. 
     
     
         20 . The software program as in  claim 15 , wherein the subsystem further comprises: for each project: means for managing the documentation; means for tracking, for accountability purposes, the human sources for changes as they are made; and, means for transferring a component and its associated documentation from one group to another group. 
     
     
         21 . The software program as in  claim 15 , further comprising: means for identifying uncompleted components or schedules; and
 means for alerting a human user to such.   
     
     
         22 . The software program as in  claim 15 , further comprising: means for managing design generation information; and, means for managing support for user generation, dissemination, emendation, tracking, and comparison of documents relevant to the user's engineering, document control, manufacturing, purchasing, procurement, inventory, and other management concerns. 
     
     
         23 . The software program as in  claim 15 , further comprising: means for connecting to an internet/intranet; means for searching across the internet/intranet for all potential replacements for any component contained in any of the software program's databases; and, means for reporting the possibility of such replacement to the human user. 
     
     
         24 . The software program as in  claim 15 , further comprising an extension to the search and cross-reference engine that enables any search to use multiple attributes simultaneously. 
     
     
         25 . The software program as in  claim 15 , further comprising a database structure for storing information comprising full facets of component data in a project as well as relation information that track the components in different disciplines. 
     
     
         26 . A computerized method for using a commerce application of managing a construction project based on component data, comprising:
 a) in a first computer process executed by a computer processor, associating component data with project information such as construction activities, resources, man hours, and budgets;   b) in a second computer process executed by a computer processor, grouping component data into a database;   c) in a third computer process executed by a computer processor, sorting component data into categories depending on data use providing a base to manage the project;   d) in a fourth computer process executed by a computer processor, creating work packages based on built-in tradesmen's expertise with constraints needing to be satisfied prior to the work package being released, the constraints comprising resources, budgets, and safety and quality information that relate to the components in the work package;   e) in a fifth computer process executed by a computer processor, building a schedule by arranging activities according to a release date of work packages, the release date determined by the satisfaction of the constraints;   f) in a sixth computer process executed by a computer processor, updating the schedule by tracking a state of a components; and   g) in a seventh computer process executed by a computer processor, generating reports on a performance evaluation, and   h) in an eighth computer process executed by a computer processor, displaying the information further comprises selectively displaying information selected from a group consisting of a two-dimensional graphical model, a three-dimensional graphical model, text, a bill of materials, and any combination thereof.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising providing the user with the ability to edit the information.